New bill considered for motor vehicle citation fines

Most people in California try hard to be safe when they are driving their vehicles. Certainly avoiding an accident is important to people but so too is avoiding a traffic ticket. Some tickets can end up being very expensive, even for seemingly minor traffic offenses. For people who do not earn much money or maybe are even unemployed, a single ticket can place a huge financial burden on people.

The California State Senate is actually taking a look at the problems associated with the high cost of moving violations and the impact on people who cannot afford to pay their fines. If a person does not pay a traffic ticket, they may actually end up having their driver\’s license suspended. Not only does this provide an additional complication for them but it also adds to the financial burden they must endure as there are costs involved with reinstating a suspended license.

Senate Bill 185 would give drivers the ability to have their traffic ticket fines reduced by as much as 80 percent depending upon their income and the amount of their fines. The bill may also institute a cap on charges based upon a maximum percent of a household income. Once an amount is settled on, monthly installments can be established and a license will not be suspended during that installment period.

Whether or not this bill passes, talking to an attorney after getting a traffic ticket can be helpful as drivers can learn how to either fight a ticket or best approach paying a fine.

Source: ABC10, “California bill would base traffic fines on income,” Frances Wang and Anthony Cave, May 17, 2017